Retailers Thank House and Senate Sponsors for Continuing Push on Sales Tax Fairness

Arlington
,
VA
-
4/27/2017

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Today, House and Senate sponsors reintroduced legislation that would end special treatment for online-only retailers. The Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), introduced by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and the Remote Transaction Parity Act (RTPA), introduced by Representatives Kristi Noem (R-SD), Steve Womack (R-AR), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Steve Stivers (R-OH), Lou Barletta (R-PA), John Conyers (D-MI), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and David Cicilline (D-RI), and would give states the authority to require all retailers that sell products in their state to collect the same sales tax. Jennifer Safavian, executive vice president for government affairs, issued the following statement regarding the retail community's continued support for a solution that gives all sellers parity in the free market.

"The retail landscape has evolved dramatically in the last two decades, but our tax laws still reflect a 20th century marketplace. In 2017, requiring some businesses to collect taxes while giving others a free pass amounts to little more than a government subsidy.

"Giving every businesses a fair shot at the customer is what drives innovation and competition. It's time for Congress to restore basic free market principles and upate our laws to align with the realities of modern commerce."

RILA is the trade association of the worlds largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs, and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers domestically and abroad.